When I started as a mortgage broker in 2006, my objective was simple: achieve the best possible financial outcomes for my clients.

That meant more than arranging loans. We focused heavily on education and strategy — and we never lost sight of that purpose. If refinancing delivered only marginal benefit, we didn’t recommend it. Often, clients were better served by budgeting, behavioural change, or improved planning rather than a new loan. We built long-term relationships and financed only when it genuinely made sense.

That approach sometimes meant working without commission. I began looking for a model that would benefit clients, fairly remunerate advisers, and improve outcomes across the industry.

At the time, major lenders were struggling with customer retention and rising costs — much of it driven by unnecessary refinancing. The practice known as churning wasn’t always in the borrower’s interest and was creating significant operational burden for lenders.

My proposal was straightforward: allow borrowers to authorise their ongoing trail commissions to be directed to a broker of their choosing. This would reward advisers who provided genuine, ongoing support and reduce incentives for churn. Financial planning already operated in a similar way, so the concept wasn’t new.

I presented the idea to senior leaders at most major Australian banks, outlining how it could reduce costs and create stronger, longer-term customer relationships. While the concept was acknowledged as logical, it gained little traction. One lender escalated the idea to a national board discussion, but the response was telling:

Driving away from that meeting, the conclusion became clear. If meaningful change was going to happen, it wouldn’t come from within existing systems. We would need to build something independently.

That realisation was the foundation of Loan Therapy.

Nearly a decade later, the focus remains the same: remove unnecessary complexity, improve understanding, and give borrowers clarity and control over their financial position. The platform continues to evolve, with new functionality designed to simplify decision-making and reduce long-term burden — so people can spend less time managing debt and more time living their lives.

Loan Therapy exists because borrowers deserve better visibility, better understanding, and better outcomes — without being pushed into unnecessary change.